Bad Mood

"What are you doing here?" Punk asked with confusion once Sophie reached the counter.

"Always the warm welcome, Phil." Sophie nodded, "I came for your autograph."

"My autograph?" Punk questioned, watching her digging into her purse and bringing out a cut out piece of newspaper, placing it down on the counter for him to see.

"You and your coffee shop are famous." Sophie said.

"It's hardly the Hollywood walk of fame." Punk said, "And I know that's not what you're really here for so… spill." He encouraged.

"You got time for a coffee break?" She asked.

"I'm a little busy working." Punk said.

"I got it." Daryl inserted whilst discretely hovering over by the coffee machine, "I can cover for half an hour. Do you want some coffee?" He asked Sophie.

"An oat latte, please." Sophie nodded to him.

"Since when did you drink oat milk?" Punk questioned, taking his apron off and making his way out from behind the counter, heading over to a faraway table to sit with her.

"Since I'm trying to cut out dairy." Sophie said, taking a seat as Punk sat down across from her, "I'm not being a little bitch, by the way. I think it's cool that this place is doing so well." She nodded to him.

"But that's not why you came here to see me." Punk figured, "Is it something to do with the firm?" He wondered.

"No, it's your brother." Sophie said as Punk shook his head with confusion.

"What about him?" He asked.

"He's trying to appeal his case. I heard it through the Chicago law firm gossip." She said, "I just thought you should know."

"Why is he appealing? Surely he knows it's a lost cause." Punk said, "What is he going to say? He didn't realise he was dealing valium on the streets?" He shook his head with frustration.

"Actually, he's going down the mental ill health route." Sophie said.

"Oh, give me a break." Punk leaned back on his chair, running his hand through his hair, "Mentally ill people stand in front of traffic or isolate themselves in their home. They don't start dealing drugs." He said.

"Well, that's what he's going for." Sophie said, "It wouldn't be impossible for him to have it accepted. He's been in prison for what? A few years now. He's well-behaved as far as I know."

"He's also in prison for manipulating the investigation. For lying in court." Punk said, "There's no way he gets taken seriously."

"He still might be able to get his sentence reduced." Sophie shrugged, "You know how the justice system works. There's no telling which way it will go sometimes."

"I know but this seems like a bit of a reach, don't you think?" He asked her.

"I do, but it's not impossible." Sophie concluded, "I figured you wouldn't know anything about it so… I wanted to let you know."

"Thanks." Punk nodded to her.

"He might have reached out and told you himself if he knew where you lived." She said, whilst Daryl brought coffee over for them.

"I don't want him knowing where I live." Punk made clear, "Thanks, kid." He nodded to Daryl before he walked off again.

"How is life treating you here anyway?" She asked him, taking a sip of her coffee and nodding, "You always did make good coffee." She admitted.

"Life is treating me well." Punk nodded to her, "You wouldn't think my brother is trying to get my attention for some reason, would you?" He asked her.

"No. Why?" She asked as he looked at her, wondering whether or not he wanted to share this information with her.

"Couple of things have happened here." He said quietly, "This guy… Craig Porter… he threw red paint all over my shop window and sped away in his car. Then he attacked an eighteen-year-old girl that I know. My girlfriend's friend." He said.

"Ok?" Sophie waited.

"He's not long been released from prison. The same one my brother is in." Punk said as Sophie nodded slowly, realising the connection he'd made.

"If he wanted your attention, I'm sure he'd just focus on you." Sophie said.

"Would he? You know what he's like… he can be cruel and manipulating. Likes to play games." Punk shook his head, "Is this all some scheme to get my attention?"

"Why would he want your attention anyway?" Sophie asked.

"I don't know, maybe he still thinks I have lawyer connections." Punk shrugged.

Now that he knew what Sophie had told him, he couldn't help thinking that the attacks on his shop, on Shiv… were all connected to his brother. Knowing he was actively trying to get out of prison, it made him believe he was trying to get his attention.

"Why don't you just go visit him?" Sophie asked, "Problem solved."

"I want nothing to do with him. I don't want him to know what's going on in my life." Punk emphasised.

"What's going on in your life? Are you really that protective over this place?" She asked as he looked across at her, swallowing his nerves.

"AJ is pregnant." Punk told her.

"Your girlfriend is pregnant?" Sophie asked with surprise.

"Yeah. Four months now." Punk nodded, "We're looking to move into a house in the new year."

"That was… certainly quick." Sophie said, "How do you feel about it?" She asked curiously.

"Scared. And excited." Punk said, "I love my life here. I didn't expect to. But I do. I'm not going to let my brother ruin another good thing that's going for me."

"So what are you going to do then?" Sophie asked, taking another sip of her coffee whilst looking at him.

"You willing to help me?" He asked her.

"Not if you're going to ask me to do something illegal." Sophie said.

"You think you could look into this Craig Porter?" Punk asked her, "You still got good sources, I'm sure."

"This is none of my business. I just wanted you to know what your brother was up to… as a friend." Sophie said, "But I don't want involved in the goings of things."

"You wouldn't be involved." Punk said, "Just… my private investigator." He shrugged.

"I don't know, Phil." Sophie sighed.

"Just think about it at least." Punk said, "I don't want to have to be looking over my shoulder here. Not when I care about so many people here." He said as Sophie sighed a little and nodded slowly.

"I'll think about it." She nodded.

"I saw Phil's ex going into his shop." Lyla whispered to AJ in the kitchen of The Brewberry.

"You sure it was her?" AJ asked calmly, although she was certainly curious.

"Positive. I saw her car." Lyla nodded, "Why do you think she's here?" She asked.

"No idea. Phil never mentioned she was coming." AJ shrugged, adding some flour to her mixing bowl, trying to remain calm. She wasn't normally a jealous or angry person, but she felt something sizzling inside her gut, at the thought of her boyfriend potentially talking to his ex at this very moment. She even wondered if he had been in contact with her through text and he just hadn't told her.

"She probably just showed up unannounced." Lyla said.

"Where are the napkins, April? Serviletta no?" Nico came into the kitchen.

"Beside the cutlery, tia." AJ answered.

"Ahh." Nico nodded, disappearing back into the shop as Lyla just chuckled a little.

"She's such a hard worker." Lyla said.

"Yeah, she used to work three jobs when I was growing up. She left at 5am and got home at 10pm. Crazy woman." AJ concluded.

"Did you give Shiv a call? I know you said you were meaning to this morning but we got super busy." Lyla said whilst taking some dishes over to the sink, mostly pots and mixing utensils.

"I called her after lunch, and it just went to voicemail. But then she messaged me saying she was in classes all day and couldn't talk." AJ shrugged, "Phil told me she's been ignoring Daryl to so, it's not just us."

"Damn." Lyla sighed, "You think it's because of her attack? I mean it sounds like she's isolating herself."

"It's probably to do with that, yeah. But also, she's in a place where she's not familiar with many people. That's bound to make anyone feel a little isolated." AJ said, "When she was home at the Fall Fair a couple months back, she said that she was struggling to make friends."

"Really?" Lyla said with surprise, "I guess I just thought because she's so… social and outgoing, that she'd be great at making friends."

"It's still new, I suppose." AJ nodded, "New things can be scary. Change can be scary." She said, taking a deep breath herself as she thought of the changes which would be coming up in her life soon, "Phil suggested we maybe drive into the city and visit her but… I thought that might be a little patronising. Like we're checking up on her."

"Or she might really like it." Lyla said, "That's a sweet idea, actually. She could probably use some friendly faces."

"I just don't want her to think we're bombarding her with our worries and concerns. I know what that's like. People asking every two minutes if you're ok." AJ said, "I replied to her message today and told her to just give me a call when she's free so we can catch up."

"Hopefully she calls then." Lyla nodded.

"Hey, I think Phil's ex is here." Becca came into the kitchen with some dishes, "I think I see her car parked out front."

"Yes, I'm aware." AJ nodded briefly.

"Why is she here?" Becca questioned.

"I don't know!" AJ snapped as Becca and Lyla turned to her, "I don't know why she's here."

"And you seem completely calm about it." Becca scoffed sarcastically, "Why don't you go over?"

"And do what? Pee on Phil to mark my territory?" AJ scoffed as Becca chuckled a little.

"I was thinking just say hi." Becca shrugged.

"No, that's weird." AJ waved her hand.

"Mija, are you yelling in here?" Nico came into the kitchen.

"No, I'm not yelling. I don't yell." AJ insisted.

"She's yelling." Becca nodded to Nico, "Phil's ex is here. She doesn't know why." She informed Nico.

"Is he friendly with his ex?" Nico asked curiously.

"No. Not really. But they're not hostile to each other or anything." AJ said, "I just don't get why she would be here. Last time she was here, she showed up at his apartment in her underwear. Whilst I was also in my underwear."

"Oh." Nico said with surprise.

"Yeah, exactly." AJ said.

"Maybe it's something to do with the law firm he worked for. Doesn't she still work there?" Lyla asked.

"Yeah, maybe." AJ nodded along.

Her aunt knew pretty much everything in regard to Phil and how their relationship came to be, as well as his past life being a lawyer. She'd stay up late some nights talking to her aunt through the laptop screen, discussing how much she hated him. Although she wasn't physically there, she'd pretty much been through the relationship alongside AJ.

"Will I go over and say hello?" Nico wondered.

"No, don't." AJ scoffed, "I'll ask Phil about it later."

"But you're in a bad mood now." Becca frowned, "I don't want to work with you if you're going to be in a bad mood." She said as Lyla chuckled to herself whilst doing the dishes.

"I'm not in a bad mood." AJ said, aggressively mixing the cake mix in the bowl in front of her as Becca took a step back cautiously.